adminLONDON. — The All Blacks and Springboks clash again in rugby union’s biggest rivalry today when New Zealand speed takes on South African muscle in a World Cup semi-final at Twickenham. The match kicks-off at 5pm. Their coaches, Steve Hansen and Heyneke Meyer, have been playing mind games all week but now it gets serious — a battle of wits between All Black skipper Richie McCaw and his Springbok counterpart Fourie du Preez, a race to get into the record books featuring New Zealand wing Julian Savea and South Africa flyer Bryan Habana.
Savea and Habana share the record with New Zealand legend Jonah Lomu for the number of tries in a single World Cup — eight. Habana is also level with Lomu for the overall World Cup record, 15.
Something is likely to give in only the fourth World Cup encounter —including the epic 1995 final won by the Springboks — between the two sides who have dominated rugby over the past century. While there will be plenty of forward strength on show, the 91st meeting between the union superpowers could be decided by rival scrum-halves Aaron Smith and du Preez.
Smith will hope his bullet pass can keep play moving at a frenetic pace to suit the All Blacks’ lethal back three trio of Savea, Nehe Milner-Skudder and Ben Smith, with speed off the bench allowing the All Blacks to maintain a high tempo for the full 80 minutes.
Du Preez, the Springboks’ master tactician, will work off the opposite plan, keeping the ball close for Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger and the rest of a heavy pack to relentlessly ram their way forward.
“It’s not about smash and bash like other positions can be,” said Aaron Smith of being a scrum-half. “It’s more about how you get your team around the park and we’ve identified (du Preez) as a key figure in their team.”
Despite the forecast rain, the All Blacks are unlikely to deviate from their running game in a match to decide who faces the winners of tomorrow’s match between Australia and Argentina in the final.
Teams
South Africa: Willie le Roux; JP Pietersen, Jesse Kriel, Damian De Allende, Bryan Habana; Handre Pollard, Fourie du Preez (captain); Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger, Francois Louw; Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth; Frans Malherbe, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane, Jannie du Plessis, Victor Matfield, Willem Alberts, Ruan Pienaar, Pat Lambie, Jan Serfontein.
New Zealand: Joe Moody, Dane Coles, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (captain), Kieran Read; Aaron Smith, Dan Carter, Julian Savea, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Ben Smith.
Replacements: Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks, Charlie Faumuina, Victor Vito, Sam Cane, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Sonny Bill Williams. — AFP.
Online Reporter